Thursday, September 24, 2009

Allied Works Architecture and BKDI selected to design Cantos' National...

CALGARY, Sept. 23 /CNW/ - Cantos Music Foundation made the announcement today that Allied Works Architecture and local partner BKDI have been selected to design Cantos' new national music centre at the King Eddy site in Calgary's East Village. After an extensive worldwide search and impressive public presentations from five international architects, this highly anticipated announcement is a milestone event in the creation of Canada's only National Music Centre.

"The concept from Allied Works truly captured the heart and soul of this project," said Andrew Mosker, executive director of the Cantos Music Foundation. "Brad and his team will give us an innovative building that fits with Calgary, Alberta, the West and is symbolic of something that is truly uniquely Canadian. This is an exciting day for Calgarians."

Brad Cloepflil founded Allied Works Architecture in his native Portland, Oregon. In recent years, Allied Works has focused on several significant cultural and educational buildings throughout North America and can now add Cantos' National Music Centre to their roster of impressive projects. Considered an emerging master in architectural circles, Cloepfil and his team have beat out some of the world's biggest names in architecture in numerous international competitions over the last few years.

Allied Works' recently completed projects include the Museum of Arts and Design in Manhattan, the Contemporary Art Museum in St. Louis, a major addition to the Seattle Art Museum, the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas and the recently completed expansion of the University of Michigan Museum of Art.

"The national music centre is an extraordinary instrument, silent and powerful, brought to life by its programs, collections and performances. The new building forms rise as sentinels around the re-born King Eddy, marking the entry to the East Village and new Music District," commented Brad Cloepfil, Allied Works Architecture.

In the last two years, the firm's work has been featured in: Architectural Record/Record Houses, Architectural Review, Space Magazine, Wallpaper, The New Yorker, Blueprint, Metropolis.

On July 23rd, five world renowned architects were asked to develop and present a bold vision for the future of the Cantos Music Foundation and the national music centre. The request included the public presentation of concepts honouring the iconic King Eddy Hotel while creating over 80,000 square-feet of space for programs and exhibitions. The centre was required to house an education research centre, museum, collection of instruments and memorabilia, recording studios, a radio station, a seven-days-a-week live music venue and a suite of innovative and creative programs for people of all ages.

The submissions were reviewed by a selection advisory committee comprised of musicians, architects, business experts, museum experts and others.

To download images from Allied Works' architectural presentation and to learn more about the selection advisory committee please visit www.cantos.ca/kingeddy

Cantos Music Foundation is a registered charitable organization whose vision it is to be a national catalyst for discovery, innovation and renewal through music. Cantos serves nearly 30,000 people per year - a number that's expected to more than triple in the new facility.